Improvement in fire-place heaters



2 Sheets-Sheet I. J. M. THATCHER.

Fireplace Heater.

Patented Dec. 22, 1868,;

0 6 10k wk J55 ucn Z0 2* wz'in es s 8 N, PETERS,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

J. M. THATCHER. Y

Fireplace Heater.

Patented Dec. 22, 5868.

N PETERS, PHOTO L'TNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D O.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. THATOHER, or BERGEN, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PLACE HEATERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 85,255, dated December 22,1868. 7

Be it known that I, J OHN M. THATOHER, of Bergen, in the county of Hudsonand State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Place Heaters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and correct description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference thereon.

Figure lot the drawings is a front view of my improved fire-place heater as set in a fireplace; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; Fig. 3, a horizontal section; Fig. 4, a plan view with mantel and chimney broken away; Fig. 5, view of the slicer or plate to be introduced into the fire-pot under the feeder, to hold up the coal that is unconsumed when the clinker and ashes, &c., in lower part of grate are to be removed; Fig. 6, plan view. of grate; Fig. 7, front view of grate. I

The fire-place heater is a modern heat in g apparatus, adapted to be located in the fire-place of a sitting-room underneath the mantel, in place of the ordinary grate-settin g, for the purpose of heating the room in which it is placed, and also to heat the rooms above it by heated air supplied from it through the walls orchimney-stacks, in the manner of a hot-air furnace.

Owing to the peculiar location of the fireplace heater in the chimney-place of a sittingroom, and to the necessity of confining it within reasonable dimensions and of making it an ornamental feature in the room, so that it can be used in place of the ordinary grate-setting, especial adaptations of devices or combinations of devices are required to embody prin ciples that have been recognized as important and developed in coal-burnin g and air-heating stoves and furnaces.

My said invention consists, first, in making the fire-pot with double walls, the space between the walls being an air-passage around the fire-pot, communicating by a passage-way in front to the open air outside of the fire-place heater, and with the ash-pit or space below the grate by perforations through the bottom of the air-chamber or passage within the double-walled fire-pot, for the purpose of heating the air which supports combustion, and also of protectin g the air which is heated by the out side of the fire-pot from the injurious action of the red-hot metal sides of afire-pot. By pass- The second part of my invention consists in a combination and arrangement of a double- Walled vertical central feeder placed centrally over the'fire-pot, and extending vertically upward through the combustion-chamber and hot-airchamber to the top of the fire-place heater, opening through the same vertically, so that coals may be tilled within the feeder to the top of the fire-place heater, thereby giving the feeder the full capacity in height of the fire-place heater'for holding coal, the-"- double walls extending from the lower part of the feeder to the top of the heater, and serv in g as a passage-way for a current of air admitted through suitable apertures at the top of the heater, to pass downward to the lower part of the feeder, for the purpose of cooling the lower part of the feeder and of aiding combustion.

The front of a fire place heater which projects out from the fire-place beneath the mantel-piece is necessarily 'limitedinheight, and

therefore affords but a limited space in height above the fire-pot for a central feeder; and I have sought to improve the fire-place heater in this respect by carrying up the inner wall of the central feeder, in an ornamental form,

above the fire-place heater to such 'a distance as would not interfere, with the line of sight to the shelf of the mantel-piece of a person sitting in the room; and this may be done either by a separate additional cylinder fitted to the top of the feeder or by extending the casting of the top of the heater upward in a cylindrical form or by extending upward the inner wall of the feeder; and this part of my invention further consists in so constructing a double-walled central feeder, in combination with the fire-pot, that the outer wall shall extend downward below the inner wall a short distance-say about one inch-seas to act as a guide or deflector, to cause the current or currents of air passing down between the walls of the central feeder to the fire to impinge upon or to be kept closer in contact with the inclined surface of the burning coal at the base of the feeder.

The third part of my invention consists in combining, with the fire-pot and combustion chamber of the fire-place heater, an air-receiving chamber below the fire-pot and a hot-aircollecting chamber or reservoir above the the pot and combustion-chamber by means of vertical air-heating pipes in the rear of and partly surrounding the fire-pot, extending from the air-receiving chamber upward through the combustion-chamber to the hotair-collecting chamber, the combination and arrangement being such that the products of combustion from the fire-pot first act upon the upper part of the vertical air-heating pipes, and then pass downward, acting upon the lower part of said pipes belowthe fire-pot beforepassing through the outlet or passage to the chimney, substantially as hereinafter described. By placing the outlet-aperture for the products of combustion at or near the bottom of the combustion-chamber, in the rear thereof, and by the use of the vertical air-heating pipes in the rear of and partly surrounding the fire-pot of such length as to extend from the top of the combustion-chamber to the bottom of the combustion-chamber in the rear of and below the fire-pot, I am enabled to get the greatest practicable amount of tubular air-heating surface consistent with the front exposure to view of the fire attainable in a fire-place heater.

The fourth part of my invention consists in an arrangement of the outlet for products of combustion in and through the lower part of the stationary concave, which is set in the fireplace to receive the other parts of the fireplace heater, substantially as hereinafter described, whereby the concave becomes an airheating plate when in operation.

The fifth part of my invention consists in combining, with the horizontal swiveling grate and a clinker-cleaning aperture through the fire-pot directly over the grate in the front part of the same, a lip upon the grate to open or close the clinker-cleaning passage by turning the grate. The sixth part of my invention consists in combining, with the stationary concave having a slightly-conical collar or outlet-passage, slides or guides, whereby the movable part of the fire-place heater is guided, so that the exitfunnel or outlet-pipe from the combustionchamber will enter and fit the outlet-passage in the stationary concave when the movable part of the fire-place heater is placed in position to co-operate with the stationary part, substantially as hereinafter described.

But, in order to more particularly describe my invention, I will refer to the drawings which represent the above-mentioned improvements, and some others, which are the subject of another separate specification.

My improved fireplace heater is made in two parts, the part a being a stationary concave, fitted to and set in the fire-place I) below the mantel a, and having a face or front plate, d, like a grate-front, but made to fit the contour of the movable part c, which slides in and out of the stationary concave a upon slides a attached to the bottom plate, a, of the stationary concave, which are fitted to ways on the bottom of the movable part of the heater.

WVhen the heater is not required to be used the movable part may be removed and a su 1nmer-piece put in, to close up the opening in front of the stationary concave, giving it the appearance of a grate-front with the summerpiece in.

The object of the slides is to guide the movable part when it is being pushed into the stationary part, so that the short funnel or draft outlet (0*, for products of combustion, will enter and pass into the short slightly-conical collar to, which projects inward from the back of the concave a, near the bottom plate, and thus makes a good joint, to prevent the products of combustion from escaping into the airspace between the concaves and the movable part of the heater.

It will be observed that the back of concave a is set at a little distance from the back of the chimney, so that the heat and products of combustion from the flue-passage a, which pass through the concave, by means of the collar near the bottom, as before stated, may pass up the chimney behind the concave, and thus make the concave a heatin gqilate, to heat the air passing in contact with its opposite side.

In the base of the movable part of the heater is a receiving air-chamber, f, which may receive air from the room by holes 1'' in the flaring base-plate f, or air may be brought into the receiving-chamber from below through holes f in the hearth or bottom plate.

Some of the air from the receiving-chamber passes through holes 9 in the flaring baseplate into the space between the concave a and the cylindrical jacket h of the movable part of the heater, and rises up into the distributing-chamber z, from which a hot-air pipe, 41', conducts the heated air through the chimney i (shown broken oif in the drawing) to the room or rooms above, in the usual way. The air from the receiving-chamber f also passes up through a set of upright air-heating tubes, j, in the rear of and partly surrounding the fire-pot, said tubes being secured on the two circular plates j j which form the top of the receiving-chamberand the bottom of the distributing chamber, and which, together with the cylindrical jacket 71., form the inclosme in which are situated the inclosed ash-pit 7., the fire-pot m, and the lower part of central feeding-funnel n.

. In order to protect the lower part of the central feeding-funnel from the fire, and also to obtain a circulation of air downward from the top of the stove to the fire-pot, to assist in burning the gases, I construct the central feeding-funnel with double walls a 4?, having sufficient room between them for a body of air, and communicating with the outside air by holes a? at the top of the feeder, and with the fire-pot by holes at the bottom of the feeder, so that air will enter the top of the air-space between the walls of the feeder and draw down to the fire-pot, for the purpose of keeping the lower part of the feeder comparatively cool, protecting the coal in the feeder from combustion, and supplying air, to burn the gases, from the burning coal in the firepot; and to insure a more perfect mixture of the downward current of air through the double-walled central feeder with the gases from the burning coal, I have extended the lower part, in, of the outside wall downward below the inner wall a short distance, say about one inch, which extension has the effect to control the downward current of air and keep it longer in contact with the inclined mass of burning coal' at the base of the feeder.

Fireplace heaters are necessarily of limited height, and to give room for a considerable supply of coal in the feeder I have carried it up above the top of the heater by placing on top of the heater a removable section, 0, furnished with a cover, 0, which is lifted off to put in coal.

At and around the base of the removable section 0 is a flange, 0 perforated with holes to match the holes in the feeding-funnel, so that, by turning the removable section, the air-passage down through the walls of the feeder may be closed, wholly or partly, as desired.

In case the upper section, 0, of the feeder should be made in one piece with the feeder, a registering-plate, perforated with similar holes, may be used in place of the flange.

In order to heat the air which supports combustion in the fire-pot, I construct the fire-pot of double walls, or, in other words, Imake the walls of the fire-pot m hollow, as shown in the drawings, and leave an opening, m, in front of the fire-pot, through the outer wall of the same, for air to enter from in front, outside the heater, through the door or register m The air passes around the fire-pot between the walls, being heated thereby, and descends into the ash-pit through openings behind the grate, one of which, 10, is shown in the drawings, and thence up through the grate to the fire in the firepot.

A portion of the air within the walls of the fire-pot escapes with the fire from apertures "r in the upper part of the inner wall of the fire-pot, to assist in burning the gases.

The door k of the ash-pit is to be kept closed, except when ashes, 850., are to be removed.

A slide-register, 70 is placed at the side of the ash-pit, to be used, if desired, to draw the dust into the inner part of the heater when clearing out the fire.

In the lower part of the front of the fire-pot I make a clinker-cleaning opening, 8, similar to that described in a former patent to me, approached by a passage, 8, closed bya door, s except when desired to clean out the clinkers or slice the fire; but to more effectually close the said opening, I have in this heater placed a lip, 8 in the swiveling grate, provided with holes s so that a poker can be used to remove the lip from the passage by turning the grate around on its axis.

The course of the air to the fire-pot, and the passage therefrom of the products of combustion, is indicated by red arrows, and the course of the air to the air-receiving chamber, and its passage though the air-heating passages and chambers, is indicated by blue arrows.

In base-burning stoves and heaters great trouble is sometimes experienced when the fire goes out, leaving the feeder full or partly full of coal 5 also, when it is desired to clean out the fire above the grate and remove clinker and slate and other matters, or to in troduce kindling below the coal in the grate. To remedy this difficulty I have devised means to hold up the coals in the fire-pot and feeder while kindling is being introduced below or the clinkers, &c., are removed.

For this purpose I have made a horizontal opening, t, in the fire-pot, of sufficient width and height to introduce the slicer a, Fig. 5, by opening the door m which is also of sufficient width for that purpose.

The slicer at, which is a flat plate of metal with a handle of nearly the width of the inner diameter of the fire-pot, being pushed horizontally through the coals in the fire-pot until it reaches the back of the same, will hold up the coals above it and prevent them from pressing down to interfere with removing clinkers and unconsumed matter below through the clinker-cleaning passage, or by tipping the grate, and also holds up the coals above to perrgllit of the introduction of kindling, if desire Although I prefer to put in the slices below the top of the fire-pot, as described, yet, if an opening be made of sufficient width to introduce a slicer above the fire-pot in such manner that it can pass under the feeder and hold up the coals therein, when desired, it will be a great advantage.

I claim- 1. The double-walled fire-pot, in combina tion with the air-passages, whereby air passes into and between its walls, and is supplied to the fire-pot in a heated state below the grate, constituting the air-supply or draft for combustion in the heater, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the fire-pot of a fire= place heater, the doublewalled vertical central feeder, placed centrally over the fire-pot and extending vertically upward through the heater to and through the top thereof, so that coals may be filled within the feeder to the top of the fire-place heater, thereby giving the feeder the full capacity, in height, of the fireplace heater, for holding the coals, the double walls extending from the lower part of the feeder to the top of the heater, and serving as a passage-way for a current of air admitted through suitable apertures at the top of the heater to pass down to the fire, for the purpose of cooling the lower part of the feeder and aiding combustion, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the fire-pot, a doublewalled central feeder, which has the lower part of the outer wall extended downward below the lower part of the inner wall and air-outlets, substantially as described, whereby the air passing from the annular passage between the walls of the feeder to the fire is caused to impinge upon or come more closely in contact with the inclined surfaces of the burning coal next to the bottom of the feeder, as set forth.

4. In a fire-place heater, the combination and arrangement of the fire-pot, combustionchamber, and the vertical air-heatin g tubes in the rear ofand partly surrounding the firepot, and connecting an air-receiving chamber below the fire-pot with a hot-air-collecting chamber above the combustion-chamber, substantially as hereinbefore described, the arrangement of the tubes with reference to the fire-pot, combustion-chamber, and its outlet being such that the products of combustion pass first in contact with the upper part of the tubes and then downward in contact with the lower part of the tubes to the outlet.

5. 111 a fireplace heater, the arrangement of the outlet for products of combustion at the lower part of the stationary concave, whereby the concave becomes an air-heatin g plate when in operation, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the clinker-cleaning opening, the lip on the grate for opening and closing the same by turning the grate, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the stationary con cave, having the slightly-conical collar oroutlet-passage, the slides or guides, whereby the movable part is guided so that the eXitfunnel will enter and fit said outlet-passage, substantially as described.

JOHN M. THATOHER.

Witnesses JOHN It. COOPER, J osnrn: CAMPBELL. 

